Come join us on the 4th of July Challenge. Think of the amazing things we can accomplish in 6 weeks!!! The rules are: No Rules! Feel free to join during any stage of this challenge!!!

Pick your own personal challenge based on whatever is important to you! and come report in whenever it suits you. Some will have a specific weight loss as a goal and some of us will have goals based only on desirable behaviors. We are all at a different place on this journey A goal could be as simple as coming in to post .. Think outside the box. What do **you** need to keep you going?

I need to join so that I can be accountable. My goal in 6 weeks is to be back in the 180's. That's it. I'm at 192 right now, so I'm setting a very attainable goal.

Secondary goal: continue planning meals and shop accordingly.

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Vilya - dog trainer and uber-geek.
Reached the beautiful town of ONEDERLAND on 7/1/2012!
Next goal: 185, to hit that Century Club mark. - ACHIEVED!! 11/4/2012
6/22/13: the 100 lb. loss only lasted a few weeks, and I've since regained some of the weight. Stats updated to reflect this.

Hmm...it's always been tricky for me to foresee a weight loss goal....In the past I've been devastated when I didn't reach the goal and...well...quit all together to be honest! I guess my goal by July 4th is to still be posting on here! Would also be great to be a pant size smaller, but I'll take the little victories too-like staying on plan

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'Keep Calm and Carry On'

Last weigh in at Doctor's Office- September 2nd 2014
Next weigh in at Doctor's Office- December 2nd 2014

I can't do a weight loss goal set to a date either, I can't set myself up for failure. I would like to have a 4th of July goal...I just don't know what it will be yet I have a pair of capris and a couple of shirts that I would like to get into, well the shirts fit, skin tight clingy and just yuck!! Capris are a good 3 inches if not more from being able to meet to button, so I would a good 5 inches for realistic wearing. I don't think 6 weeks will be enough for any of that, maybe I will just hang out and something will come to me

My goal is to exercise for 30 minutes a day, even if it is just walking. I used to do this until winter time last Jnauary and have not been able to restart.

As far as weight loss, I am not going to try to lose anymore weight as I am in a maintenance range now. I weighed in today at 152. I figure a healthy weight is between 145-155 lbs. Getting into the 140's scares me a little because that has happened twice in my life. Briefly in 1976 when I got married and in 2006 after the panniculectomy when the surgeons removed six pounds of hanging skin from my abdomen. I stayed around 146-147 briefly while my body adjusted and the pounds slowly creeped back.

I am sticking with my goals from two months ago, in order of priorty:
1. No alcohol
2. Low carb diet
3. Moderate exercise
I am on track with all three, but I am going to modify 3 to
3. Increase exercise
I am still thinking on 4 but it will have to do with beginning to track food and weight.
I have a weigh start on tracking food but need to make it a habit. I am still not weighing but I plan to do it by July 4.

And my little victory today is that I resisted coconut cream pie...lol. I bought it for a relatives birthday and had to go down the frozen yummy aisle. No wonder Atkins says 'stick to the perimeter of the grocery store'! LOL...

Feeling a bit nauseated, but that was normal for me in the past....but still on plan. I did weight myself to be 235/236, but I don't like to officially change my weight stats until I've been at that weight for a week. (another thing that can devastate me! LOL...) I am not usually a daily weigh-er, but since starting Atkins, I have been.

Happy Memorial Day everyone!

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'Keep Calm and Carry On'

Last weigh in at Doctor's Office- September 2nd 2014
Next weigh in at Doctor's Office- December 2nd 2014

MaryMary...so very difficult to resist that sugar junk! That old saying 'Moment on the lips, lifetime on the hips'....LOL.....yep! It's true! Your stats are amazing by the way...376 to 154.4!!! Thats really amazing....Inspiration for me!!

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'Keep Calm and Carry On'

Last weigh in at Doctor's Office- September 2nd 2014
Next weigh in at Doctor's Office- December 2nd 2014

Mary- I like your new avatar! WTG on getting down into your maintenance range.

Bella- I keep a digital kitchen scale on the counter and weight everything I eat. I write each item down on a pad so I don't forget it. I usually plan out my day in advance knowing roughly what I will have and what the carbs, calories and proteins are, but lately I have been changing it a little throughout the day so I go in and make sure I am not overdoing it on my food log. It seems like a lot of work but after a while it is pretty easy to do and it really helps me see the impact of what I am eating and is helping me revise what my brain thinks is a healthy portion down to what really is the correct smaller size.

LovelyBelle- It is hard to resist certain foods, so good job on not caving to that pie. I am having to face that there will always be some foods that call to me. It has been pizza for me the last week or two. I even looked at one of those fresh bake in your oven pizza's at the deli a hour ago. I looked at the cabs and calories and decided it just was not worth it right now. I might go for it in the future because it was a small one and I would not be able to over do it, but just not now. I find that this kind of thinking helps me not feel so deprived. I CAN have it, I am just CHOOSING to not have it. It does make my resolve stronger each time I do not cave in.

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FrankieNothing right now can possibly taste as good as thin will feel!!!

I have lost the singular focus I had when I started this, and I wish I knew how to get it back. It was so easy to resist the carb creep back then. Also, I was losing on 1,600 - 1,800 calories a day, and now if I want to lose I have to stay around 1,400 calories a day. That's been a HUGE challenge. I've never eaten so few calories in my life.

I suppose I am going to have to start exercising more, whether I want to or not...

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Vilya - dog trainer and uber-geek.
Reached the beautiful town of ONEDERLAND on 7/1/2012!
Next goal: 185, to hit that Century Club mark. - ACHIEVED!! 11/4/2012
6/22/13: the 100 lb. loss only lasted a few weeks, and I've since regained some of the weight. Stats updated to reflect this.

Phranquie Oh, yes- temptation everywhere...everyday! I like that way of thinking too...'I can have it, but choose not to'. That's a good mantra. Your progress is really fantastic...so impressed by the ladies out there that have lost 100-150-200...really wonderful!

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'Keep Calm and Carry On'

Last weigh in at Doctor's Office- September 2nd 2014
Next weigh in at Doctor's Office- December 2nd 2014

Vilya, as my weight dropped I came to the same conslusion. I needed fewer calories to continue with the weight loss. I was able to lower it by changing off some of the higher cal items for lower cal versions of the same thing. 1-1/2 yrs ago I was maintaining on 1700-1800 kal day, when I dropped to 1300-1400, I lost at about 2-3 lb a month. Snce I am where I want to be, I am learning the ins and outs of maintenance. It is a balancing game so I am giving myself a big range. Today I am adding in 100-200 kal a day to see what I need to use to maintain in the big window. I don't want to eat more or less just more or less calories. this is where I can play around with the fat. I went from a low fat Greek yogurt to 10% fat greek yogurt and picked up 150 kal. So I do keep an eye on this stuff right now to find the balance. I am an amateur at this part of the game.

Mary- Would you mind telling me about your surgery? When I lost 110 lbs 9 yrs ago, one of my disappointments was that my stomach still was hanging. I could actually fold it in to try to hide it. Now that I'm older, 58, I am sure I'll have the same prob and most likely worse. Am I too old and is it too risky at my age? I have some health problems too. However, I'm hoping some of those will go away as I lose weight. You are such an awesome example and I want to pick your brain!!

Count me in! No binge eating for 6 weeks. I really want to do this. I have not been able to go one week yet but I am really going to try this time. Thank you for posting this Mary!! You are an inspiration to all of us!

From a thread about measuring your HWC use in the Main Lobby, I discovered that I was using twice the amount I thought I was. So I've started either measuring out 1 Tbsp, or using Hood LC milk instead, with is much lower in calories.

This requires constant tinkering and vigilence!

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Vilya - dog trainer and uber-geek.
Reached the beautiful town of ONEDERLAND on 7/1/2012!
Next goal: 185, to hit that Century Club mark. - ACHIEVED!! 11/4/2012
6/22/13: the 100 lb. loss only lasted a few weeks, and I've since regained some of the weight. Stats updated to reflect this.

Oncloud9now2 - I was 58 when I had the panniculectomy. That was in 2006 and the insurance covered it because of medical reasons. In April this year, I had a face and neck lift as there was a ton of skin that needed to be removed. I was 65 and have no regrets. I am basically healthy. My cholesterol is 148. HDL is 64; LDL 73; trig 56, glucose fasting 89; and TSH 2.25. I do take wellbutrin for ADD/chronic depression and Ambien CR to fall asleep and stay asleep for 5-6 hrs. When I was at my highest, I was diagnosed with sleepapnea and panic attacks. Today I don't have those problems but have sleeping problems because I subconsiously fear I won't be able to breathe. I guess we all have our issues, so to speak. But I am happy today.

Mary- I too have Ambien for sleep and was on Wellbutrin but have been changed to Celexa. I have sleepapnea too. Wear a bi-pap every night and even if I take a nap. I am hoping to lose the bi-pap when I lose the weight! Is the tummy tuck as bad as they say? How long is recovery? You're the first real person to have it that I can talk to. I am certainly open to it . I was never completely happy with myself because of the skin.